The ink was barely dry on the three-year contract that had been signed and approved by Madera Unified trustees on June 12, 2012, before Kelly Porterfield, MUSD’s associate superintendent for business and operations decided to leave the district.

Reports that Porterfield had reached an agreement with Mike Berg, Central Unified School District school superintendent, surfaced Friday morning and were confirmed by the Tribune in a telephone conversation with Porterfield as he drove to Wyoming on vacation.

Porterfield said he met with Berg Thursday and accepted the offer to make the lateral move to become Central Unified’s assistant superintendent for business and operations. He will begin his new assignment after Aug. 26.

According to Porterfield, the salary range for the position in Central Unified runs from $125,000 to $149,000 per year. The salary under his new contract with Madera Unified was $127,937...